For
the last two decades, backpacking has become a passion. I am a
four-season backpacker
and an off-trail navigator. Although
I do take yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority
of my trips are in Michigan and Canada.
My pack weight varies considerably but my base weight is below 14 lb
(6.35 kg). I am
primarily a tarp camper who averages more than 50 nights a
year backpacking in a huge variety of weather conditions including
relentless rain, wet snow and sub-zero temps.Product Information

Initial Impressions
and Product DescriptionI received the
GoLite Wind River Softshell Jacket in the requested size of Women's
Large and I was sent the color of Dark Walnut with Cement trim. The
colors look much like milk chocolate with creme. The jacket is also
available in three additional colors of Garnet Red/Cement,
Black/Granite
and Cement/Garnet Red as well as other sizes from XS to XL. The jacket
arrived in great condition with no noticeable defects.

My
initial impression of the jacket was that it was well designed but
much more heavy duty than I anticipated. I have owned several
softshells before but they have all been softer and
lighter in weight.

The jacket has definitely been designed
for winter usage. According to GoLite, the jacket is designed for
winter athletes who get
out in the backcountry. Its attributes of high breathability, water
resistance and superior range of motion are all noted on the hangtag
that came with the jacket.

.Technical FeaturesThe hoodless
jacket itself has a relaxed fit according to the manufacturer. This
allows layering of additional clothing. The materials that make
up the jacket are mostly recycled. One of the fabrics is
comprised of Tier 1 92% recycled Polyester and 8% Spandex and the
other fabric is 93% Nylon with 7% Spandex with a DWR (durable water
resistant)
finish. Tier 1 refers to recycled materials that are held to the same test standards as
non recycled alternatives. The main body of the jacket has minimal
stretch but the shoulders
and top face of both sleeves are highly
stretchable. Both fabrics have
soft brushed interior surfaces. The manufacturer claims that the
materials are wind resistant.The center front
of the jacket features a full length contrasting color zipper with
large teeth and a two-way zip feature. This allows me to unzip from the
top or from the bottom to vent. The top end of the zipper also features
a zipper hood to keep the zipper from possibly irritating my neck.
A tall collar is designed with a micro fleece type material on the
inner face.
There are two zippered handwarmer pockets that are bonded in place. The
pockets both have a mesh interior. Each pocket also features top
openings on
the interior so that a water bottle could be stowed easily inside the
jacket. There is also a secondary opening on one of the pockets
featuring a vertical zipper. It could safely contain keys or cell phone
and not interfere with the handwarmer aspect.

There is also a sleeve
pocket on the upper end of the left sleeve. This pocket is sewn in
place and features a contrasting color of material. All pockets are reportedly
placed to be harness compatible. All of the zippers on the exterior
have some type of additional pull,
the center zip has a rubberized pull and the three outside pockets have
ribbon pulls with a bit of silicone type grip on the ends.The sleeves are of the set-in variety but the shoulders
are constructed
with raglan type seaming in the yoke areas. The bottom edges of
the
sleeves feature an innovative style in that they are articulated rather
than being straight. The part that goes over the top of the wrist is
longer than the back of the wrist edge. They also feature hook and loop
closures on the exterior as well as interior sleeve wristlets. The
latter are made out of light stretch material and would likely prevent
snow from going up my sleeves
when I fall. It could help with cold
and wind from entering the bottom of the sleeves. This feature seems
rather neat as my hands usually have poles in them during winter
activities exposing them to more of the elements. The interior edges of
the sleeves are also lined with micro fleece type material.

There is a GoLite logo on the center back of the jacket just below the
neck as well as one on the lower left side of the jacket. The lower hem
also features two adjustment toggles one located at
approximately each side.

Fit

I tried the Wind River Softshell Jacket on with various types of layers
underneath. The best fit for me is over a medium-weight wool top as I
can't imagine wearing anything more with this due to the type of
activities I will be doing while wearing the jacket. The sleeve length
is perfect and the length of the jacket
just covers the hips. Care

The care instructions are found on a tag sewn in one of the interior
seams. Basic care involves machine washing it in cold water with like
colors on a gentle cycle. It should not be bleached, dry cleaned or
exposed to fabric softener. It can be tumble or line dried.

Overall, the GoLite
Wind River Softshell Jacket looks like a real workhorse. I am looking
forward to
seeing how it performs in the backcountry.

During
the field test period, I have worn the GoLite Wind River Jacket during
several multi-day backcountry trips.
I have also worn it often for winter sport activities including cross
country
skiing, snowshoeing and even snowshoe running. Sessions wearing the
jacket totaled 42. Locations
ranged
from
and included boreal and deciduous
forest communities, backcountry frozen lakes, groomed and ungroomed ski
trails and more.
Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to approximately 1400 ft (427 m).

Pulling sledge with
backcountry gear: 7 days
Snowshoeing: 14 sessions
Running on snowshoes: 2 sessions
Skate Skiing: 5 sessions
Classic skiing: 13 sessions
Backcountry skiing: 2 sessionsDuring the first
extended trip with the GoLite Wind River Jacket, the weather was
briefly warm and then the temps plunged 35 actual degrees (6 F/-14 C).
I had snowshoed while pulling
my sledge of gear into a rustic forest cabin that is inaccessible by
road. Once there I did snowshoe trips each day. With the
weather conditions the snow had warmed and then froze into a solid
rock-like surface. I needed the snowshoes for traction on the steep
hilly terrain!

The winds were wild
as well as the temps went down to 6 F (-14 C). I was plenty warm in
the jacket
..almost too warm. I did do a lot of repeated descending and ascending
which was a good measure of activity plus I was wearing snowshoes which
adds to the equation. However I was initially concerned that I might
not be able
to wear this jacket in warmer conditions for such activity as it was
almost too warm.After the first
extended trip I have worn the jacket for many day activities. I quickly
found it was much too hot for skate skiing unless the temps were below
10 F (-12 C) or the wind chills were significant.

I then tried it for classic
skiing in temps from below zero (-18 C) to the low 20's (-7 C) It
worked perfectly for those endeavors so I continued to wear it most
every time I classic skied.

I also continued to wear it for skate skiing when the temps were low or
the wind chills were high. I also have worn the jacket for two sessions
of snowshoe running. It has been too hot for that activity so I vented
the front zipper quite quickly each time and just wore lightweight
gloves and a light hat. For normal snowshoe treks (not running), the
jacket has functioned well.

Two more extended trips were taken in February. One was similar to the
first trip in that I pulled my sledge into a rustic cabin and then took
day trips with either skis or snowshoes. The third trip was a winter
camp scenario where I moved each day pulling my sledge through the
hills of a national forest. The temps were mostly around 20 F (-7 C) or
lower so the jacket provided the right amount of warmth.

Further
Thoughts on Performance

I have found the Wind River Jacket to be quite adaptable to my many
sports and it offers adequate coverage over my upper
body. I have appreciated the inner cuffs of the jacket when I have
fallen into deep powder snow more than once. The cuffs are loose enough
that they layer nicely over my inner layer. They don't bunch up the
sleeves when I put the jacket on my body.

I do miss having a hood on the jacket especially when temps are very
cold. I have worn a neck gaiter that can be pulled up over my face or
head for extra warmth instead. I do however appreciate that the collar
on the jacket is very tall reaching my hairline in the back.

The zippers have been easy to operate as they have very large teeth.
Nothing has caught in them and the cold weather doesn't seem to affect
their performance. I love the fact that the center zipper can be opened
from the top as well as the bottom to vent. The zippered pockets are
easy to operate and I can actually open them to retrieve a snack while
wearing ski gloves.

After my first few endeavors while wearing the GoLite Wind River
Jacket, I have come to quickly learn at what conditions it is suited
for. I really thought that I was going to have a hard time wearing the
jacket because it is much heavier than what I normally wear for winter
aerobic activities. I soon found that by wearing only a light wool top
most of the time it was adaptable.

I like the fit of the jacket and would consider it more a trim fit than
a regular fit as suggested by the manufacturer. This observation is
based on other clothing that I own that are sized regular fit and trim
fit. Even though I normally wear just one thin shirt underneath I
really couldn't add another layer without feeling restricted. I only
say this as the jacket fits very close to my body type. With only one
layer underneath, the jacket hasn't hindered my movement in anyway.

Even though the jacket is not waterproof, I have found that its
water-resistant
finish fends off most precipitation. Since I play outside in all types
of weather I have worn it during steadily falling snow as well as
needle-like sleet. My shirt underneath has remained dry.

I have also worn the jacket during stormy winter weather where the
winds were
20 to 45 mph (32 to 72 km/h). This is where the fabric of the jacket
really shines...it is very wind resistant. Many of my friends can't
believe that I am warm in such conditions while just wearing one top
underneath as they are more bundled up.

I still find the jacket a bit heavy in weight and bulky but it hasn't
been a real issue as I haven't had to stow and carry it because I am
always wearing it. During the long term period the weather will maybe
eventually get warmer and I will likely get to see the ramifications of
that scenario.

Durability and Care So Far

The jacket looks great after all the wear in the field test period.
There
are no signs of
pilling on the stretchy surface and all the stitching and bonding has
remained
intact. I have only washed the jacket 4 times so far. Although it
never appeared to be dirty due to its dark color, I washed it
simply because
I wear it all the time for endurance activities. I'm sure it needed
cleaning although I hadn't detected any odors. I have washed it in cold
water with other clothes, briefly put it in the dryer for a few minutes
and then placed it on a drying rack.

During
the long term period, I have worn the GoLite Wind River Jacket for
winter and early spring sport activities including cross
country
skiing, snowshoeing, day hiking, mountain biking and backpacking for a
total of
31 additional times. Locations
ranged
from
and included boreal and deciduous
forest communities, desert and high desert terrain, ski
trails, hiking trails and more.
Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183 m) to approximately 5000 ft
(1500 m).

Early
May BackpackingTrip:

Location: Hiawatha National Forest -
Michigan, USAType of Trip: Trail/bush roads Distance: 15 mi (24 km)Length of Trip: 2 daysPack Weight: 23 lb(10.4 kg) - includes 2 qt/l of
waterSky and Air Conditions: Cloudy,
sunnyPrecipitation: None
Temperature Range: 27 F (-3 C) to
41 F (5 C) Day
Activities:
Activities: Cross country skiing (14 days), snowshoeing (5
days),
hiking (8 days) and mt biking (2 days)
Locations: Blueberry Ridge Trails, Noquemanon Trails, Mt
Marquette Trails, McKeever Trails, Michigan Tech Trails, Swedetown
Trails, Saux Head Trails, Echo Lake and Big Bay backcountry areas...all
locations in Marquette, Alger and Houghton Counties, Upper Peninsula of
Michigan; South Mountain Park, Superstition Wilderness, Red Rock
Wilderness, all in the state of ArizonaDistance: Usually not measured in
distance but the ski and snowshoe sessions average 2 -2.5 hrs in length
and the hiking sessions were up to 6 hrs in length Performance
in the FieldAlthough I live
in a cold climate, the spring time weather has brought colder than
average
temperatures. Most daytime temperatures have been from below freezing
(32 F/0 C) to the mid 40's F (6 C). I certainly wore the
GoLite Wind River Jacket much more than I expected during the last two
months! I even was surprised that I was able to wear it in Arizona
which brought a few unseasonably cold days (I must of brought it
there). Rain and snow were part of the equation and temps dipped below
freezing (32 F/0 C).

As earlier stated, winter weather has mostly prevailed throughout the
spring in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There has been the
occasional warm day but
I actually was able to cross country ski through the first week of
April and snowshoe through the 23rd of April (the latter on downhill
ski slopes).

The weather brought new snowfall several times as well as a mixture of
sleet and rain at other times. Mostly cloudy conditions prevailed with
a
bit of sun at times.

I have
continued to
like the jacket for cross country skiing as it never rode up or
restricted my
movement during activity. It was equally comfortable for my other
activities. I wore it two days for mountain bike rides of each approx
13
miles (21 km).
The sleeves/inner cuffs didn't allow the wind to enter the bottom edges
of the sleeves.

I found that the jacket also worked perfectly
with a loaded day pack. The fabric did not bunch underneath allowing
the harness to rest comfortably on my body. The same was true while
wearing it with my backpack on a two-day trip of 15 mi (24 km).

I still find this a heavy jacket but I am truly amazed at its
wearability for different sports and its overall comfort. I have
continued to wear the jacket with a light wool top or light
synthetic shirt underneath (as pictured above).

A few times I have had to stash the jacket after I warmed up from
activity and although it took a bit of room in my pack, it was easy
enough to do. I have also just dropped it down to my waist at
times.
I still miss not having a hood on the jacket especially when temps are
very
cold. I have worn the jacket on many stormy days including rainy
weather. It seems to fend off moisture as I haven't had a problem with
my under layers getting wet. I love the fact that the front center
zipper can be opened from each end and I often use it that way, just
joined at the center for a bit (see above photo for example) or opened
from the lower edge. It allows more ventilation for sure.

Durability and Care The Wind River
Jacket still looks amazing with no real signs of wear after a total of
73 outings.
It has been easy
to care for and has been washed with my
other clothes a few additional times and hung to dry. The fabric has
remained water resistant, the zippers have remained intact and the
bonded seams are perfect.

Pros

Stretchable
fabric

Zippers
are easy to operate in the cold

Roomy
pockets

Great
jacket for cold temps and wind chills

More
versatile than I initially thought possible

Cons

Somewhat
heavy/bulky

Tester Remarks

Thanks
to GoLite and BackpackGearTest
for this opportunity to test the Wind River Softshell Jacket. This concludes my
Long Term Report and the test series. Top of Page

Product tested and reviewed in each Formal Test Report has been provided free of charge by the manufacturer to BackpackGearTest.org. Upon completion of the Test Series the writer is permitted to keep the product. Owner Reviews are based on product owned by the reviewer personally unless otherwise noted.